• In today’s market, what do you feel is critical when connecting with today’s consumer?You really need to get into their shoes…their mindset. There’s a book out there titled “Stop Acting Like a Seller and Start Thinking Like a Buyer: Improve Sales Effectiveness by Helping Customers Buy.” The book, written by Jerry Acuff, explains to us how we have to prove that we understand the buyer’s needs and how to show a buyer that by working with us they are going to save time.Take for example using an MLS search tool in your website. You can’t just have a single property search generically placed in the home search section of your site. Buyers want to know what is for sale in a specific area (close to their work, their school and at the same time in their price range). The more your website is about them and less about you the better.
• There is a lot of talk about social media and how it can be used as a marketing strategy. What are some ways that social media outlets can be used as a viable marketing strategy?Recently I had a REALTOR® say to me they had heard in a class that websites where a thing of the past and social media would replace web marketing. That is totally misunderstood! A website is an important tool to use in your business for lead generation. At the same time, using social media gives you an opportunity to build your brand and your reputation by building a bridge between connectivity and credibility. This allows people to see you as more than just a Real Estate professional by presenting you as a three-dimensional professional and connecting you to a broader pool of consumers.
• What do you suggest when creating a fan page or discussion board on Facebook.When developing a fan page or a discussion board for Facebook, create one specifically about your market like “Seattle Real Estate Buzz.” This fan page will be where people will want to come to find out about the things happening in their area. The neat thing? You will be the one who is perceived as the expert bringing the informational resources together.PS. I can’t tell you how many agents are using their profile for real estate and don’t include their web address! Don’t forget the basics!
• Can social media help with Search Engine Optimization?Not necessarily. It’s more of a marketing channel to get people to your site after viewing your profile with your website info included. However, if you have a fan page that does get indexed in the search engines; it will allow search engines like Google to find it.
• How important do you feel it is to rank on the search engines?I think it’s a very important piece of a marketing strategy. A recent National Association of REALTORS® study was conducted and only 33% of REALTORS® were implementing a Search Engine Optimization plan in their web marketing! Wow! Imagine going on a listing presentation and explaining to sellers that 67% of Real Estate professionals don’t feel it’s important to be where the consumers are looking for them (like Google).

Integrated marketing is where you are not just looking at one element of your marketing plan and think that its results will work independently from other marketing. An integrated marketing mindset means that you are massively mindful of what marketing you are doing and making sure there is cohesiveness in the flow of information and you leverage that message to insure the best return on investment. Here are 4 simple tips to building an integrated marketing plan.

1. Buy domain names (URLS) for ANY call to action that you might want to use in ANY of your marketing plans. Get Domains like www.FortMillHomeValues.com, www.FortMillShortSales.com, or www.FortMillForeclosureList.com to support any advertising you will run to generate leads.
2. Make sure every postcard you use has a specific “call to action” to drive lead generation on the web. For example a postcard that has a call to action saying “market conditions and home values are changing in this shifting market. Go to www.WasillaStateOfTheMarket.com and get your custom report on what is happening weekly in the market.” This will be much more valuable then a simple “just listed postcard” with no traffic driver.
3. Classified Ads – I know you are dying to ask me, “Tricia, isn’t newspaper dead? The answer is NO, especially if you use it as a specific driver in your web strategy. Imagine having different calls to action that go to specific pages in your website that create interactivity and lead generation. Ask your local newspaper what they charge for a simple 2×1 classified ad. You might be pleasantly surprised how inexpensive this strategy can be.
4. Stealth Marketing on Facebook – The ads on the right hand side of your profile or news feed screen are ads that you can create and run. This is where you have the opportunity to do stealth marketing and even better, select specific target markets that reach those people using facebook. Imagine having an ad like “Own more on your home than what you can sell it for? Click here for help.” This in turn could take them to a specific site that addresses this like www.GetShortSaleHelp.com (ps. This applies for Craig’s list, Google ad words, etc)

Note: When driving traffic to your website from ANY marketing channel to a specific form make sure that they go into a specific email follow up drip that supports the message and connects to them.

1. On-page optimization (aka targeted/focused Web site content to support the target with proper coding for every page) – Many agents think they can just add a bunch of Meta tags and one general description for their entire site and that should suffice. However, for search engines to index your site in their system and be attracted to your site, your home page content must be focused on a specific niche/target market. Take for example, www.MarcoRealtySource.com. The navigation itself shows the consumer that they have come to the right place to get Marco Island Real Estate information. In addition, there is home page content for the search engines to recognize and index. There are also pages that focus on specific Marco Island Real Estate markets such as condominiums, beachfront properties, new construction and luxury properties. Each property type described has its own content page with its own specific coding to go after that market. This way, the focus is not just to rank on the front page for Marco Island Real Estate, but also for Alan and Linda Sandlin to go after niche markets like beachfront properties.
2. Off-page Optimization (aka link building strategy) – As early as two years ago, agents thought they could ask other agents, “Will you link to me and I will link to you?” Although this way used to get rankings, search engines have evolved in a more sophisticated manner so that the importance is to have INBOUND links coming to your site. Strategies like press releases can help RSS feeds syndicate your press release and create links to your site. Additional links like churches, chamber of commerce sites and industry directories can build this strategy. Also, link building every month is the secret, as to not spam them all at one time.
3. Blogging – There is a huge “buzz” out there to blog. However, if you want to get the best ROI, then your blog should exist within your actual website platform. Think of your Web site as a book of information, and the more credible and updated the book, the better. Search engines will recognize that your site is staying fresh and is a “living, breathing source.” It doesn’t have to be difficult. Even adding a new listing, an open house or just a community event can be powerful.

Finally, these three components must work in conjunction together. It’s a system of all these elements. The search engines will then say “Wow, what a great site.” It’s 1) focusing on the needs of the consumer with great and unique content; 2) is credible in the industry because other relevant sources want to link to it; and 3) is constantly being added to and improved for consumers.”

• Step 1 – Understand your vision and who you want to attract Work certain towns; first time home buyer market, or short sales? Hone-in on where you want your business to come from. What does that type of consumer want? Where do they look for information? And how do they go about getting it? Tailor to their mind.
• Step 2 – Have main website buttons with content and MLS searches Once they land on your site, you have only seconds to prove they have come to the right place. They should click on the button and go to a page about the area with photos and even a video that allows them to gather information from your perspective.
• Step 3 – Give them what they want….LISTINGS Include an interactive MLS search on your homepage and have creative searches on your content pages that interfuse specific MLS searches by price or property type. Once they click on the listing details, romance them and gain their trust to engage with you.
• Step 4 – Have “Calls To Action” – compel them to click through Engagement points (A.K.A. calls to action) should be sprinkled strategically throughout your site. Get into their head, “That’s what I am dying to know” or “I think I should look into that.” Tailor the message like:
  • Facing Foreclosure?
  • Has the market stabilized?
  • Foreclosure/Bank-owned Buys – click here!
• Step 5 – Incubate the lead with automated email follow up Calls to action must be partnered with an automated email drip campaign. Make sure it’s on branded email stationary with links back to your site and be on schedule for at least a year. Be positioned so when they are ready to move forward they think of you.
• Step 6 – Match the Calls to Action with specific landing pages and domain names. Remember the consumer can be at different phases of the process and many times they aren’t ready to talk to you just yet. Non-Branded pages like www.FortMillForeclosureList.com allow them to get information on their own terms which in turn get them into the email follow up.
• Step 7 – Social? Offline? – Preach your message everywhere. If your marketing and advertising doesn’t have a call to action…it’s pointless. Whether its postcards, listing flyers, magazine ads, facebook ads, craigslist or even your facebook business page wall you need to remember it’s about lead generation!
• Step 8 – Manage the leads and track the results. What advertising gets the most leads? Which calls to action get the most traffic? How many buyers are in incubation and at what point to they seem to convert? Be like the “FBI”. Profile and track your business so you know where to cut and where to spend.

1. IDX maximized and leveraged. Gone are the days of just one link to search properties and forcing the visitor to do a cumbersome search each time they visit. Have an interactive MLS search on the front page of your site and include quick searches to specific information and ways to register for hot property alerts like www.KristanCole.com. Visitors to your site want to see listings and they want to see them quickly!
2. Reflecting and specialized areas. If your area of specialization is the Alpharetta area of the Atlanta, GA market, then you must have a page about Alpharetta that includes information about market conditions, homes in specific price ranges and more. This enables you to establish yourself as an expert with buyers by having the information they’re looking for, and with sellers by showing you’re the expert in their neighborhood. A great example is www.MarkSpain.com/alpharetta.
3. Visible contact information. Your contact info should be in an easy-to-find location. Side panels and side bars are great for this type of information and help eliminate scrolling.

4. Check links and eliminate where needed. Broken links are not only irritating to consumers, they’re also detrimental to your search engine rankings, your brand and how you are perceived in the market. Go through your site with a fresh perspective and make sure your links are going where you want them to go.
5. Social media tools. Make it easy for people to see how you are different from your competitors, your unique offerings and what your business culture is all about. Have clickable sections to your Facebook business page, your LinkedIn profile and your Twitter account so others can share your message.
6. Niche area and trending opportunities. Is there a niche market that you could accentuate on your site to show you are the expert? For example, if you see a growing trend like investors wanting to buy in your market, create a foreclosure buys section on your site to compel them to engage with you.
7. Offline and online promotion. Fifty percent of your website’s success depends on how well you promote it offline. Take a look at your marketing materials and make sure each element has a specific call to action to drive visitors to specific sections on your website. While a great website can be a powerful tool, a congruent online and offline marketing campaign working in a streamlined manner is real marketing at its finest.

Here are 5 ways to make Facebook a brand building tool for your business.

1. Create a business page: You have your own profile page but don’t forget to create one for your business. Your business page is where you can share information about what is happening in the real estate market, what open houses are coming up, what the market data is for the area and so much more. When creating your business page you’ll want to invite as many people as possible to “Like” the page. Once you have 25 friends, you will be able to go to www.Facebook.com/username and create your own domain name for advertising. Try and name your Facebook page the name of your team or your website address so that way it’s easy for people to remember.
2. Carry your brand to your page: Once you know you have the domain name then you can create your own Welcome page on Facebook where you’ll have the look and feel of a “mini-website”. On this page, include calls to action and engagement points that allow them to link over to your website. This will power lead generation and additional traffic to your flagship website. Just check out: http://www.Facebook.com/LindaHallTeam for inspirational ideas!
3. Create A Town Page: Imagine having a town page that you have created and people in the town use it for learning about upcoming events, local news and more. This allows you to facilitate and bring this information to your market! Linda has done this as well. She created a page on Facebook called www.Facebook.com/FortMillSouthCarolina for people to visit and see what is happening in the area. This becomes a powerful way for her to bring credibility to the market area. Oh and most important, it’s like she can be the columnist for what’s happening in the real estate market in Fort Mill.
4. Add a share feature and a Facebook link off of your website. This will allow people to easily find you online and connect to you. By also adding the share feature this will allow them to share your link with other friends, family members and business colleagues.
5. Add your Facebook domain name to any and ALL print marketing your do. Drive people to your page by adding your Facebook link to your farming postcards, your business cards, email stationary and more. The more you advertise your Facebook location the easier it will be to have people find you. That’s what it’s all about!

Herb’s (the coach) vision was 3 core elements that would create a win:

1. “We have to change the way we play the game.” The same strategy can not withstand the test of time. It must be free to move and evolve. We have to look at our competition differently and view our business differently too. In doing so, how has your target market changed? Is there different niches or opportunities that you should focus on this year? If so, make sure that your website has “calls to action” to engage the person and show that they can get information on those types of properties. Leverage your call to action messages on every marketing piece and that includes social media channels like Facebook, You Tube and more. Remember, people have changed in the way they get information.
2. “I am not looking for the best players…I am looking for the right players.” This is the POWER in team synergy – the value of working in motion as a team. Business is more than just about you as an individual. It’s about the people you choose to work with everyday, the people you choose to attract into your business and into your life. Leverage the people on your team so they play to their strengths. Is someone on your team a natural connector and great negotiator? Perhaps they are perfect to handle the Short Sale client. Is another person the creative in lead generation strategy? Let them lead in a brainstorming session that allows this to blossom. Also remember that if you are the rainmaker that is the lead to generate the business, focus on those tasks that you know would be impossible to duplicate (like lead generation, listing presentations, etc). If you are one agent and running your business, surround yourself with like minded companies and people that can help you to reach your business goals and maximize what you do best.
3. “We are a team of uncommon men. Because common men go nowhere”. Be willing to do what the competition is not willing to do. If it’s where you prospect every day for 2 hours a day, do it. If it’s walking your farm area and personally connecting with each homeowner, do it. If it’s personally following up with every lead first for 30 days (even though you have a buyer specialist) so that you have a vision of the market, do it! That is the uncommon element to success.

Most real estate agents focus on leads that are easy to close – prospects who want to buy or sell their home now. But what about those prospects who weren’t quite ready yet. Have you followed up with them recently?

Do you have a follow up system in place to convert some of those prospects into clients eventually? Or do you automatically assume those leads are dead and you forgot about them?

What Does A Lead Cost You?

Let’s take a hypothetical example.

• You send 1000 postcards
• It costs you $400 to mail them
• You get a 1% response, or 10 calls.
• That’s $40 per lead ($400/10)

Now let’s look at the return on investment.

• Let’s say your take-home commission is $2500 on sales
• You close 20% of the calls (2 sales)
• You make $5000 less the $400 for postcards = $4600

I know this isn’t exact math. If you are selling a home, you might have additional advertising expenses involved with selling the home – and your commissions might be higher, but go with me here.

$4600 is a good return on investment, but what about those other 8 people that never closed? That’s $320 ($40×8) you’ve spent with no return.

If you mail postcards regularly, how many of your leads don’t close each month? If you take my theoretical example, you’re wasting $3840 ($320×12) each year!

If that sounds discouraging, it shouldn’t be. Understanding your marketing ROI is important when thinking about your lead generation strategy.

Convert More Leads to Closings With Follow Up

Let me ask you – how many times do you follow up with someone before you decide the lead is a “waste of time”? One, two, five?

Maybe you’ve heard that it takes on average 7-12 contacts with prospects before they decide to hire you. If you only follow up with prospects a few times, you are dropping the ball and leaving money on the table – before they are ready to hire an agent.

The good news is that you can still start following up with to the leads you’ve already captured. Maybe their home didn’t sell. Maybe their credit wasn’t good enough to buy a home. Maybe it wasn’t the right time back then.

But maybe now it is!

How to Follow Up With Older Leads

Before you actively start marketing to older leads, you want to find out if they are still considering buying or selling. If you have previously spoken with them, give them a call and find out:

• Did they buy or sell a home (or are they still in the process)?
• If so, ask them how it went and thank them for their time.
• If not, ask them if they are still interested, their time frame for moving, and what they have been waiting for (or what has been preventing them from moving)

Note: for sellers, you can also check the MLS database to see if they listed with an agent, who they listed with, and details about the listing/sale. This can be one way to pre-qualify leads before you make the call.

For leads you haven’t previously spoken to, send another postcard to that smaller prospect list again. If they responded to your initial postcard, they may respond again, so send a personalized postcard offering them a free report or other educational materials.

You can also follow up with your phone leads by sending postcards as well. Be targeted and use any previous information you already know about them such as what they were looking for, what their time frame was, what was holding them back. Tailor your postcard to this specific issue or problem they were having.

The more personalized your message, the better the chances they will respond. Consider adding a personal note such as “I spoke with you 3 months ago about the possibility of listing your home because (whatever reason they mentioned last time you spoke). Were you still interested in moving? If so, feel free to call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX.”

Take Action

Look back through all the leads you generated in the last 6 months and commit to making at least three phone calls this month to follow up. Make lead follow up an active part of your real estate marketing strategy and you’ll start converting more leads into clients.